Australian Mark Renshaw has been thrown off the Tour de France for trying to
headbutt rival Julian Dean during a bunch sprint finish to the end of the
11th stage.

Renshaw, the lead-out man for British sprinter Mark Cavendish, was shown by television pictures trying to headbutt the Garmin-Transitions rider from New Zealand three times in the final 400 metres of the home straight.

Cavendish then raced ahead towards eventual victory, his third this year on the race and 13th in three participations, with Renshaw then seen trying to block Dean's sprinter, Tyler Farrar, as the American tried to come up the inside of the barriers.

Top race official Jean-Francois Pescheux said after the race: "Renshaw was declassified immediately but we have decided to also throw him off the race.

"We've only seen the pictures once, but his actions are plain for all to see. This is a bike race, not a gladiator's arena."

"I'm extremely disappointed and also surprised at this decision. I never imagined I would be removed from any race especially the Tour de France." said Renshaw.